The champions are the team in better form despite last weekend’s setback against Everton.

Should City win tonight they go top of the table by virtue of a superior goal difference, with just two games remaining.

But go back to January 22nd and Mario Balotelli’s last minute penalty winner against Tottenham while United were to win at Arsenal and recall a time when it was United who trailed in the race. City’s three point gap stayed in tact that weekend but since then United have only dropped points on three occasions, including two high scoring draws. City on the other hand have lost 1-0 three times away from home in the same period covering the last 13 games, and drawn twice including the 3-3 draw against Sunderland at the end of March, which has so far been the only time Roberto Mancini’s team have dropped league points at home all season. City’s defeat at Swansea can be ranked alongside United’s at Wigan for their shock value while City’s 1-1 draw at Stoke City, after going behind to a wonderful goal by Peter Crouch, has contributed to the fact United can afford to lose this evening because it would still only require City to drop points in one or other of their remaining fixtures.

City and United have both scored a total of eight goals in their last two games with Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero and former United striker Carlos Tevez amongst them. So United’s defensive frailties against Everton are likely to be exposed once again. Sir Alex Ferguson has responded to Mancini’s continued stance in recent weeks that United have already won the league by saying that a United defeat at the Etihad Stadium would hand the title to City, but despite the FA Cup final taking place this weekend, the Premier League campaign still has another two weeks to run.